Anger erupts during sentencing for girl convicted in teen's stabbing death

Blair Rhodes · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 5:55 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

The household of a 16-year-old lad who died aft being stabbed past year in Halifax erupted successful choler during sentencing Thursday for one of 4 teens charged successful his death.

Members of Ahmad Al Marrach's household stormed retired of the Halifax courtroom wherever Judge Mark Heerema sentenced the miss to different 3 months successful custody astatine a younker detention centre, followed by 2 years of close supervision successful the community.

The girl, who previously pleaded blameworthy to manslaughter, was 14 years aged astatine the clip of the incident. She has been successful custody since April 2024, soon aft Al Marrach died pursuing a convulsive altercation successful a parking store astatine the Halifax Shopping Centre.

In speechmaking his decision, Heerema said the miss and her parent person tried to diminish her portion successful the incidental by suggesting Al Marrach had struck her and knocked her down during the altercation.

At that point, members of Al Marrach's household lashed retired astatine the provincial tribunal judge, calling him an expletive before sheriff's deputies ushered them retired of the room.

After they left, Heerema went connected to constituent retired that the mentation of events suggested by the miss and her parent was "blatantly not true," noting the full battle was captured connected the girl's cellphone. 

'Shocking lack of basal quality decency'

The judge said it was a cowardly onslaught that showed the worst of humanity, portion Al Marrach displayed bravery and spot successful his attempts to fend off his attackers.

The girl, whose individuality is protected nether a work ban, showed a "shocking absence of basal quality decency," said Heerema.

While the miss did not stab Al Marrach, she was carrying a weapon and provided 1 to different teen.

Last week, the miss addressed the tribunal and apologized for her actions, saying she wishes she could "reverse time."

On Thursday, she appeared teary-eyed and sat softly adjacent to her lawyer, turning occasionally to look astatine her parent successful the nationalist gallery.

Heerema reminded her of each the milestones she has yet to celebrate, similar turning 20, buying a car oregon having children. He said Al Marrach volition not get to observe immoderate of those events and helium told the miss she indispensable transportation him successful her representation astatine those occasions.

Intense rehabilitative programs portion of sentence

The Crown and defence had submitted a associated sentencing recommendation, which Heerema accepted Thursday. The girl's clip successful custody astatine the Nova Scotia Youth Centre successful Waterville, N.S., is meant to hole her for the aggravated rehabilitative programs she volition spell done erstwhile she's released.

The nonstop presumption of the two-year assemblage condemnation volition beryllium worked retired astatine a aboriginal time. In summation to the sentence, her DNA goes successful a nationalist databank and she faces a five-year weapons ban.

A 2nd teen charged successful the lawsuit has pleaded blameworthy to second-degree murder and is facing a abstracted sentencing hearing. A 3rd teen pleaded blameworthy to manslaughter and is successful the mediate of the sentencing process, portion a fourth teenager is part mode done a trial on a complaint of second-degree murder.